Bottom dump haul unit

ABSTRACT

A haul unit includes a central beam with a surrounding bucket assembly. The bucket assembly has bucket members pivoting of the buckets from open, dumping positions to closed, transport positions are provided.

United States Patent [19] Holland Oct. 7, 1975 BOTTOM DUMP HAUL UNIT [21] Appl. No.: 483,704

[52] U.S. Cl. 1. 298/35 M; 105/240 [51] Int. Cl. B60? H00 [58] Field of Search 298/24, 25, 27, 29, 30,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,316,412 4/1943 French 298/35 R 2,444,299 6/1948 Koenig 114/29 3,768,184 lO/l973 SundcrlinW. 298/36 X 3,800,711 4/1974 Tuttle 105/251 Primary Examiner-Frank E. Werner Attorney, Agem, 0r Firm-Robert G. McMorrow [57] ABSTRACT A haul unit includes a central beam with a surrounding bucket assembly. The bucket assembly has bucket members pivoting of the buckets from open, dumping positions to closed, transport positions are provided.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent 00:. 7,1975 3,910,635

FIGI

BOTTOM DUMP HAUL UNIT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Patent No. Patentee Issue Date 2,428,533 Simmons October 7, 1947 2,494,472 DeSaussure January 10, 1950 2,723,878 Rockwell November 15, 1955 2836.461 Shadwiek. et al. May 27, 1958 2,943,886 Wilkinson July 5, I960 3.076.680 Krcss February 5. I963 3.145.057 Taggart August 18, 1964 3.169.491 Darlington et a1 February 16, I965 3.185.528 Peterson May 25, 1965 3298.745 Czapicwski January 17, 1967 3.356.416 Kress et al December 5, 1967 3,361,478 Ross, Jr. et al January 2, 1968 3596.565 Atkinson August 3, 1971 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprehends a haul unit as heretofore categorized wherein bucket units are suspended on opposite sides of a central beam, and are tilted outwardly for dumping.

The invention differs significantly from prior art devices in that the support medium comprises a center line rib which supports the load on the transport mechanism during haulage, and the side bucket members support and strengthen this structure.

The present invention differs substantially from conventional units in that the main carrying frame is essentially located with respect to the overall haul unit, whereas conventional units provide frames which surround the material to be hauled with gates at the bottom of the side walls. Side frames act in such instances as a structure to provide strength to the overall unit. The present invention, in distinction to this, provides a side and bottom hinge on the center beam and the complete unit is pivotal outwardly to provide dumping of loads by means of pressure of hydraulic or air rams.

The advantage of the present method resides essentially in the haul unit width, which can be greater because of the door/ side combination which may be removed for transportation from factory to job and from one job site to another. This also provides a lower center of gravity and a lower loading height than conventional haul units and is also of improved design with re spect to manufacture and sale.

Other and further objects and advantages of this in- .vention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a typical embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the dump/haul unit with the prime mover removed; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on line 3-3 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A haul unit embodying the features of this invention includes a prime mover 10 of any conventional type. The prime mover 10 may be integral with or removably secured to a trailer unit 12 comprising the haul/dump unit hereof.

Unit 12 comprises an elongated central beam 14 having a substantially horizontal main extent 16. The beam 14 is substantially rectangular in cross section throughout and is of heavy gauge, hollow metallic construction. The beam includes side walls 18, 20 and top and bottom walls 22, 24. The main extent 16 of the central beam has a forward section 26 and a rear section 28. An upwardly inclined section 30 projects from the forward section 26, and a downwardly angled section 32 extends therefrom to the prime mover. This forms a gooseneck connection between the trailer and the prime mover.

A downward beam section 34 supports a cross axle 36 with ground wheels 38 thereon. This section terminates in a bumper 40.

The main extent 16 of the beam has top corner edge portions 42 and 44, and bottom corner edge portions 46 and 48. Pivot ears 50, each comprising a lug having I an aperture 52 therein project from the main extent 16 of the beam in pairs. These pairs of pivot ears extend from the top and bottom comer edges adjacent the forward and rear sections of the beam, and the upper pairs of ears are spaced inwardly from the locations of the lower pairs, as best shown in FIG. 2.

Bucket members 54 for the haul/dump unit are pivotally mounted on the outer side of the central beam. The bucket members are identical to one another, but opposite in mounting, and each has a slant bottom wall 56, an outer side wall 58, and frontand rear end walls 60, 62. The end walls have inner edges 64, with stepped cut out sections 66, and also have top edges 68. At the junctures of the top edges 68 and stepped portions 66, an extended portion projects from each end wall. These extended portions 70 have apertures therein, and are located between the pivot ears of each pair thereof on the top corner edges of the main extent of the beam. The bucket members are pivotally secured to the beam by pivot pins 72 which extend through the apertures 52 in the ears and through the apertures of the extended portions 70.

Projecting from the end walls 60 and 62 of the bucket members adjacent the junctures of the bottom and outer side walls thereof are a series of forward and aft bearings 74, 76. Mounted pivotally between these bearings and the respective pairs of pivot ears on the bottom corner edges of the beam are extensible and retractable hydraulic cylinders or rams 78. The rams are connected in conventional fashion (not shown) to a control in the prime mover and to a source of hydraulic fluid or air pressure.

Bucket members, enclosed, transport or loading position, embrace the central beam with the end wall edges 64 in contact respectively, and with the stepped portions 66 abutting the beam. The inner edges of the bottom walls 56 are also in contact, whereby a closed receptable is provided. Extension of the rams 78 pivots the buckets in the manner shown in phantom lines in FIG. 3. This results in dumping of the load contained within the buckets.

I claim: 1. A haul/dump unit comprising: a prime mover having ground wheels and having a trailing end; a trailer assembly pivotally connected to the trailing end ofthe prime mover; the trailer comprising an elongated central beam having a horizontal main extent with forward and rear sections; the main extent of the beam being substantially rectangular and having top and bottom edges; an upwardly inclined section projecting forwardly from the forward section of the beam, and a downwardly angled section on said upwardly angled section; I hitch means on said downwardly angled section securing the trailer to the prime mover trailing end; a downwardly extending section projecting from the rear section of the central beam; an axle support assembly on said downwardly extending section, an axle on the axle support assembly, and ground wheels on said axle; pairs of pivot ears extending from the main extent of the central beam on the top and bottom edges thereof in oppositely arranged pairs adjacent the forward and rear sections thereof; bucket members, each including a bottom wall, an outer side wall, and front and rear end walls, the bucket members being generally co-extensive in length with the main extent of the beam and being pivotally connected thereto; the end walls of the bucket members having extended portions with apertures formed in the extended portions, the extended portions being located, respectively, between the pairs of pivot ears of the top edge of the beam; pivot pins extending through the last named ears and through the apertures in the extended portions whereby the bucket members are pivotally connected to the central beam on opposite sides thereof;

forward and aft bearings extending from the end walls of the bucket members; and

an extensible and retractable hydraulic cylinder pivotally connected to each of said bearings and to the adjacent pair of connection ears on the bottom edges of the beam, whereby extension of the cylinder pivots the bucket member associated therewith to elevated, open position.

2. A haul/dump unit comprising:

a prime mover having ground wheels and having a trailing end;

a trailer assembly connected to the trailing end of the prime mover;

the trailer comprising an elongated central beam having a horizontal main extent with forward and rear sections;

the main extent of the beam being substantially rectangular and having top and bottom edges;

pairs of pivot means extending from the main extent of the central beam in oppositely arranged pairs adjacent the forward and rear sections thereof;

bucket members, each including a bottom wall, an outer side wall, and front and rear end walls, the bucket members being generally coextensive in length with the main extent of the beam and being pivotally connected thereto;

the end walls of the bucket members having means associated with the pairs of pivot means on the central beam whereby the bucket members are pivotally connected to the central beam on opposite sides thereof;

the bucket member front and rear walls being shaped to engage about the beam; and

extensible and retractable cylinders pivotally connected to the end walls of the bucket members and to the beam whereby extension of said cylinders pivots the bucket members to elevated, open positions, and retraction of the cylinders closes the bucket members. 

1. A haul/dump unit comprising: a prime mover having ground wheels and having a trailing end; a trailer assembly pivotally connected to the trailing end of the prime mover; the trailer comprising an elongated central beam having a horizontal main extent with forward and rear sections; the main extent of the beam being substantially rectangular and having top and bottom edges; an upwardly inclined section projecting forwardly from the forward section of the beam, and a downwardly angled section on said upwardly angled section; hitch means on said downwardly angled section securing the trailer To the prime mover trailing end; a downwardly extending section projecting from the rear section of the central beam; an axle support assembly on said downwardly extending section, an axle on the axle support assembly, and ground wheels on said axle; pairs of pivot ears extending from the main extent of the central beam on the top and bottom edges thereof in oppositely arranged pairs adjacent the forward and rear sections thereof; bucket members, each including a bottom wall, an outer side wall, and front and rear end walls, the bucket members being generally co-extensive in length with the main extent of the beam and being pivotally connected thereto; the end walls of the bucket members having extended portions with apertures formed in the extended portions, the extended portions being located, respectively, between the pairs of pivot ears of the top edge of the beam; pivot pins extending through the last named ears and through the apertures in the extended portions whereby the bucket members are pivotally connected to the central beam on opposite sides thereof; forward and aft bearings extending from the end walls of the bucket members; and an extensible and retractable hydraulic cylinder pivotally connected to each of said bearings and to the adjacent pair of connection ears on the bottom edges of the beam, whereby extension of the cylinder pivots the bucket member associated therewith to elevated, open position.
 2. A haul/dump unit comprising: a prime mover having ground wheels and having a trailing end; a trailer assembly connected to the trailing end of the prime mover; the trailer comprising an elongated central beam having a horizontal main extent with forward and rear sections; the main extent of the beam being substantially rectangular and having top and bottom edges; pairs of pivot means extending from the main extent of the central beam in oppositely arranged pairs adjacent the forward and rear sections thereof; bucket members, each including a bottom wall, an outer side wall, and front and rear end walls, the bucket members being generally coextensive in length with the main extent of the beam and being pivotally connected thereto; the end walls of the bucket members having means associated with the pairs of pivot means on the central beam whereby the bucket members are pivotally connected to the central beam on opposite sides thereof; the bucket member front and rear walls being shaped to engage about the beam; and extensible and retractable cylinders pivotally connected to the end walls of the bucket members and to the beam whereby extension of said cylinders pivots the bucket members to elevated, open positions, and retraction of the cylinders closes the bucket members. 